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Showing posts from October, 2012

What Is Alzheimer's?

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior.   Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks Alzheimer's and dementia basics Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia , a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 50 to 80 percent of dementia cases.   Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging , although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age. Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer's (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40sor 50s. Alzheimer's worsens over time.   Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gra